Relief of wearing a face covering

What I have noticed from Zoom events is that I move A LOT. I react with smiles/frowns to everything going on. And move my body/hands. Everyone else seems to manage to remain motionless and expressionless. It's made me quite paranoid about how I come across.

I smile at people, I’m fine with that and I don’t think that’s what the OP means.
I think she means making sure her expression constantly looks agreeable rather than narky.

I don’t give a f*ck what my face looks like or what other people think of it and I would certainly never wear a mask (CV excepted).
You need to work on your self esteem.

I hated wearing a mask when I took my mum to hospital. I smile at people anyway and most smile back. I think that’s normal, not contrived.

From hanging out on Style & Beauty I would say that fear of looking angry is at least as strong as the fear of looking old.

I’m not wearing a mask unless it’s compulsory.

I couldn’t give a shit what people think of my face at the best of times.

Here's another whose resting face looks a bit frowny and glum. I thought I was the only one. Hundreds of strangers have told me to cheer up, it may never happen since I was a small child.

I think the current supermarket population is split 50:50 between those looking for a fight with anyone who accuses them of getting too close and people being polite and smiley to keep the other lot placated. When I very politely reminded a woman who leaned across me in the supermarket so close that she touched me that we had just been asked on the tannoy to keep 2m apart she yelled: 'If you're so terrified of being out with other people you should get a volunteer to shop for you.' Don't think any amount of smiling would have placated her.

I haven't worn a mask. Very few people do where I live. I don't intend to wear one unless it becomes compulsory.

Also in supermarkets if people are moving out of the way helpfully I smile and say thanks. Why wouldn't you? I'm not simpering or appeasing, just being nice

Agreed - and men do the same. It's normal human behaviour. What the OP describes is so far from my life experience I don't know where to begin but No , OP I don't recognise what you're saying.

Why wouldn't you? I'm not simpering or appeasing, just being nice.

I think feeling obliged to smile becomes tiresome as it's an expectation rather than genuine. I've also read about (though not experienced) men cornering women and telling them to smile, which can feel quite domineering.

I have resting bitch face. It has honestly held me back in life, in friendships and in my career.

I wish there were a nicer term for this. I have a similar issue, 'resting bored face' and, worse still, my concentration face is even more bored. I work in a STEM field so you can imagine the fun of trying to fake an interested face to communicate my genuine interest while I'm trying to digest a complex topic.

I smile and thank people more these days. I'm a cyclist so have to work hard to overcome possible hostility. Also in supermarkets if people are moving out of the way helpfully I smile and say thanks. Why wouldn't you? I'm not simpering or appeasing, just being nice.

It's great for disguising a double chin...

A lot of women smile when they are in an awkward situation.

Yes.

I have resting bitch face. It has honestly held me back in life, in friendships and in my career. My face looks angry and miserable even when inside I feel perfectly fine. I frown a lot when I listen or talk. It's utterly shit and I actually am considering Botox to help. Not even joking.

I was forced to wear a mask during a GP visit recently and it was honestly liberating. I felt so relaxed. Not having to constantly consciously try and make my face more approachable.

I also enjoyed the privacy. I have what people might call a sardonic or twisted sense of humour which means I have a tendency to smile at things other people don't find funny .. which again has held me back at work. With the mask I was free to smile as inappropriately as I wanted!

I did have a fleeting thought of "I wish I could wear this all the time".

It would definitely level the playing field for me at work

I don’t disagree, and I have sensory issues about stuff on my face/ears. I feel more like I have a right to be out as an equal participant in society, and my inner thoughts and feelings aren’t a matter for public comment.

While I still consider religious head/face coverings inherently sexist, it does make me view the women who choose to wear them in a new light.